Combination garment protecting system

ABSTRACT

A garment protector apparatus with a first liquid absorbent base layer; a second liquid impervious layer in fixed communication with said first base layer; and a third liquid absorbent layer in removable communication with said second layer by a first attachment means. The garment protector apparatus may be in the shape of a bib or burp cloth and may be of various designs such as animals, flowers, shapes and colors.

The present invention relates to garment protectors, specifically bibs and burp cloths that protect the wearer's clothing from liquid and solid spills and are convenient for travel, night time and anytime use.

Infants and small children eat frequently and without regard for their clothing and messes. Infants typically spill liquids and food down their front which can necessitate outfit changes and increased laundry. Bibs are utilized to protect the fronts of clothing. Disposable single ply plastic bibs, such as those served at lobster restaurants, are known. However, they are not capable of absorbing large quantities and are not soft and comfortable the way fabric is. Fabric bibs are also known and are generally soft, but they are generally single use and must be changed frequently. There are many situations where it is inconvenient to be repeatedly changing bibs to accommodate the frequent spills and spit ups. For example, on a car ride, the child is strapped into a car seat and changing a bib may require undoing their harness. This is inconvenient and dangerous in a moving car. Burp clothes suffer from the same inadequacies. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to have a bib/burp cloth base with a replaceable clean and sanitary top portion.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and claims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to garments protectors, specifically replacement and disposable portions of bibs and burp cloths that protect the wearers clothing from liquid and solid spills.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a garment protector apparatus is provided comprising: a first liquid absorbent base layer; a second liquid impervious layer in fixed communication with the first base layer; a third liquid absorbent layer in removable communication with the second layer by a first attachment means.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a garment protector apparatus is provided, the apparatus comprising: a first liquid absorbent base layer; a second liquid impervious layer; a third liquid absorbent layer in fixed communication with the second liquid impervious layer and the third liquid absorbent layer and the second liquid impervious layer in removable communication with the first liquid absorbent base layer by a first attachment means.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a bib embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 depicts a bib embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 depicts a bib embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 depicts a bib embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 depicts a burp cloth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 depicts the present invention;

FIG. 7 depicts the present invention; and

FIG. 8 depicts the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

With reference to FIGS. 1-8, the present invention provides, a garment protector apparatus (10), apparatus comprising: a first liquid absorbent base layer (16); a second liquid impervious layer (18) in fixed communication with the first base layer (16); a third liquid absorbent layer (20) in removable communication with the second layer (18) by a first attachment means (30). The first attachment means may be selected from the group consisting of hook and loop, button and button hole, zipper, strings, press studs. There may also be a bib portion (26) in fixed communication with the first liquid absorbent base layer (16), the bib portion (26) having a second attachment means (22) for attaching the apparatus to the neck of a wearer and protecting the front of the wearer from spills and spit ups. There may also be a flap or pocket portion (27). The pocket portion (27) can also be used to secure and hold in place the second liquid impervious layer (18) and third liquid absorbent layer (20). The first liquid absorbent base layer (16), second liquid impervious layer (18) and third liquid absorbent layer (20) may be any shape (bib, burp cloth, etc.) and may even be in the shape of designs such as animals, flowers or any shape without departing from the present invention. FIG. 5, for example, depicts a burp cloth according to the present invention. It may also be any color and may have embroidery of any shape, letter and/or design on any layer, but typically and preferably it would be on the third liquid absorbent layer.

According to one embodiment, the third liquid absorbent layer (20) is a disposable paper material. As depicted in FIGS. 3-4, there may be a plurality of the third liquid absorbent layers (20) being connected adjacent edge to edge in relation to one another and rolled into a roll (37), the connection of adjacent ribs being along a perforated line (41) to facilitate individual removal and having a perforated cutout portion (40) which is removed to form the shape of the third liquid absorbent layer (20).

In general, the paper products of this invention are disposable and may be single ply products or multi-ply products, such as two-ply, three-ply, four-ply, or greater. One ply products are sometimes advantageous because of their lower cost of manufacture, while multi-ply products may be preferred by many consumers for increased absorbency. For multi-ply products it is not necessary that all plies of the product be the same. Papermaking fibers useful for purposes of this invention include any cellulosic fibers known to be useful for making paper, particularly those fibers useful for making relatively low density papers such as facial tissue, bath tissue, paper towels, dinner napkins and the like. Suitable fibers include virgin softwood and hardwood fibers, as well as secondary or recycled cellulosic fibers, and mixtures thereof. Especially suitable hardwood fibers include eucalyptus and maple fibers. As used herein, “secondary fiber” means any cellulosic fiber which has previously been isolated from its original matrix via physical, chemical or mechanical means and, further, has been formed into a fiber web, dried to a moisture content of about 10 weight percent or less and subsequently reisolated from its web matrix by some physical, chemical or mechanical means.

According to another embodiment, the third liquid absorbent layer (20) is a washable, soft and liquid permeable base layer. For example, it may be terry cloth, cotton, flannel, cotton blend, knit, lycra. The first liquid absorbent base layer (16) may also be made of a material selected from the group consisting of terry cloth, cotton, flannel, cotton blend, knit, lycra. It may be desirable, for example, to have the first liquid absorbent base layer (16) made of flannel, as it will be the layer against the skin of the wearer and does not require the same level of absorbency as the top layer. The second liquid impervious layer may be selected from the group consisting of polyester vinyl coated material, thermoplastic film and polymeric material. The second liquid impervious layer (18) may be attached to the first liquid absorbent base layer (16) be being permanently bonded. U.S. Pat. No. 4,725,473 describes one method of bonding a liquid impervious material that may be utilized according to the present invention to bond the second liquid impervious layer (18) to the first liquid absorbent base layer (16). There may also be a fourth liquid impervious layer (25) in fixed communication with the third liquid absorbent layer (20) and between the second liquid impervious layer (18) and the third liquid absorbent layer (20) when the third liquid absorbent layer is in removable communication with the second liquid impervious layer (18) layer by a first attachment means.

According to another embodiment, a garment protector apparatus (10) is provided, the apparatus (10) comprising: a first liquid absorbent base layer (16); a second liquid impervious layer (18); a third liquid absorbent layer (20) in fixed communication with the second liquid impervious layer (18) and the third liquid absorbent layer (20) and the second liquid impervious layer (28) in removable communication with the first liquid absorbent base layer (16) by a first attachment means. In this embodiment, the third liquid absorbent layer (20) is fixed to the second liquid impervious layer (28). There may be a bib portion (26) in fixed communication with the first liquid absorbent base layer (16), the bib portion (26) having a second attachment means (22) for attaching the apparatus to the neck of a wearer and protecting the front of the wearer from spills and spit ups. The third liquid absorbent layer (20) may be a disposable paper material. FIG. 4 depicts that the second liquid impervious layer (18) may be bonded to the third liquid absorbent layer (20) on the roll.

According to another embodiment, the third liquid absorbent layer (20) may be a washable, soft and liquid permeable base layer selected from the group consisting of terry cloth, cotton, flannel, cotton blend, knit, lycra. In this way, the present invention envisions a soft, washable first liquid absorbent base layer, a third liquid absorbent layer and a second liquid impervious layer between the first liquid absorbent base layer and the third liquid absorbent layer and may be fixed to either the first liquid absorbent base layer or the third liquid absorbent layer. The third liquid absorbent material may be soft fabric (such as terry cloth, cotton, flannel, cotton blend, knit, lycra) or it may be a disposable paper product which can even be made of multiple ply's to feel like fabric. Whichever layer is removable is attached by a first attachment means which is selected from the group consisting of, hook and loop, button and button hole, zipper, strings and press studs. The second liquid impervious layer may be selected from the group consisting of polyester vinyl coated material, thermoplastic film and polymeric material. There may also be a fourth liquid impervious layer (25) in fixed communication with the third liquid absorbent layer (20) and between the second liquid impervious layer (18) and the third liquid absorbent layer (20) when the third liquid absorbent layer (20) is in removable communication with the second layer (18) by a first attachment means. FIG. 8 depicts hook and loop or VELCRO® type fasteners as attachment means (70).

The term “fabric” is used broadly herein to mean any fibrous material which has been formed into a web. That is, the fabric is composed, at least in part, of fibers of any length. Thus, the fabric can be a woven or nonwoven web, either of which is readily prepared by methods well-known to those having ordinary skill in the art. Moreover, the fabric can consist of a single layer or multiple layers. In addition, a multilayered fabric can include films, scrim, and other non-fibrous materials.

As used herein, the term “polymeric material” means a synthetic or natural polymer material, although the synthetic material is more likely to be employed in the present invention. As used herein, the term “polymeric fabric” means a fabric prepared from any polymer material capable of being formed into a fabric. Examples, by way of illustration only, of natural polymeric materials include, cotton, silk, wool, and cellulose. Synthetic polymeric materials, in turn, can be either thermosetting or thermoplastic materials. Examples of thermosetting polymers include, by way of illustration only, alkyd resins, such as phthalic anhydride-glycerol resins, maleic acid-glycerol resins, adipic acid-glycerol resins, and phthalic anhydride-pentaerythritol resins; allylic resins, in which such monomers as diallyl phthalate, diallyl isophthalate diallyl maleate, and diallyl chlorendate serve as nonvolatile cross-linking agents in polyester compounds; amino resins, such as aniline-formaldehyde resins, ethylene urea-formaldehyde resins, dicyandiamide-formaldehyde resins, melamine-formaldehyde resins, sulfonamide-formaldehyde resins, and urea-formaldehyde resins; epoxy resins, such as cross-linked epichlorohydrin-bisphenol A resins; phenolic resins, such as phenol-formaldehyde resins, including Novolacs and resols; and thermosetting polyesters, silicones, and urethanes.

The terms “impermeable to liquids”, “impermeable to aqueous liquids”, “aqueous liquid impervious”, “liquid barrier” and “liquid impervious”, when describing a material, may mean such materials pass the ASTM ES 21-92 “Emergency Standard Test Method for Resistance of Protective Clothing Materials to Synthetic Blood”. Liquid impervious layers would prevent milk and food from passing through or penetrating the layer.

It should be understood that the foregoing relates to preferred embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

1. A garment protector apparatus, said apparatus comprising: a first liquid absorbent base layer; a second liquid impervious layer in fixed communication with said first liquid absorbent base layer; a third liquid absorbent layer in removable communication with said second liquid impervious layer by a first attachment means.
 2. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising a bib portion in fixed communication with said first liquid absorbent base layer, said bib portion having a second attachment means for attaching said apparatus to the neck of a wearer and protecting the front of the wearer from spills and spit ups.
 3. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said third liquid absorbent layer is a disposable paper material.
 4. An apparatus as in claim 3, further comprising a plurality of said third liquid absorbent layers being connected adjacent edge to edge in relation to one another and rolled into a roll, the connection of adjacent ribs being along a perforated line to facilitate individual removal and having a perforated cutout portion which is removed to form the shape of said third liquid absorbent layer.
 5. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said third liquid absorbent layer is a washable, soft and liquid permeable base layer.
 6. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said first liquid absorbent base layer is made of a material selected from the group consisting of terry cloth, cotton, flannel, cotton blend, knit, lycra.
 7. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said first attachment means is selected from the group consisting of hook and loop, button and button hole, zipper, strings, press studs.
 8. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said second liquid impervious layer is selected from the group consisting of polyester vinyl coated material, thermoplastic film and polymeric material.
 9. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising a fourth liquid impervious layer in fixed communication with said third liquid absorbent layer and between said second liquid impervious layer and said third liquid absorbent layer when said third liquid absorbent layer is in removable communication with said second layer by a first attachment means.
 10. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising a pocket portion.
 11. A garment protector apparatus, said apparatus comprising: a first liquid absorbent base layer; a second liquid impervious layer; a third liquid absorbent layer in fixed communication with said second liquid impervious layer and said third liquid absorbent layer and said second liquid impervious layer in removable communication with said first liquid absorbent base layer by a first attachment means.
 12. An apparatus as in claim 11, further comprising a bib portion in fixed communication with said first liquid absorbent base layer, said bib portion having a second attachment means for attaching said apparatus to the neck of a wearer and protecting the front of the wearer from spills and spit ups.
 13. An apparatus as in claim 11, wherein said third liquid absorbent layer is a disposable paper material.
 14. An apparatus as in claim 13, further comprising a plurality of said third liquid absorbent layers and said second liquid impervious layers being connected adjacent edge to edge in relation to one another and rolled into a roll, the connection of adjacent ribs being along a perforated line to facilitate individual removal and having a perforated cutout portion which is removed to form the shape of said third liquid absorbent layer.
 15. An apparatus as in claim 11, wherein said third liquid absorbent layer is a washable, soft and liquid permeable base layer selected from the group consisting of terry cloth, cotton, flannel, cotton blend, knit, lycra.
 16. An apparatus as in claim 11, wherein said first liquid absorbent base layer is made of a material selected from the group consisting of terry cloth, cotton, flannel, cotton blend, knit, lycra.
 17. An apparatus as in claim 11, wherein said first attachment means is selected from the group consisting of, hook and loop, button and button hole, zipper, strings, press studs.
 18. An apparatus as in claim 11, wherein said second liquid impervious layer is selected from the group consisting of polyester vinyl coated material, thermoplastic film and polymeric material.
 19. An apparatus as in claim 11, further comprising a fourth liquid impervious layer in fixed communication with said third liquid absorbent layer and between said second liquid impervious layer and said third liquid absorbent layer when said third liquid absorbent layer is in removable communication with said second layer by a first attachment means.
 20. An apparatus as in claim 11, further comprising a pocket portion. 